Something needs to be done about the empty open world

[Jeeqbit]

But I think the "open world" people are asking for is one where one can just go out there without an actual plan to do anything and encounter stuff along the way.
There's always stuff to do in FFXIV but most of them requires one to actually have a plan to do "this" or "that".

Let's take a classic example as Skyrim (I know one can't compare a single player game to an MMO though).
One can just run around the game and encounter stuff without having a plan and that adds a feeling of a more open world where one doesn't need to have a plan.
"What might I encounter today if I walk this path".

You can run into hunts and fates without particularly intending to. Fates in particular are supposed to be random and varied events with some roleplaying that goes along with it.

The reason fates aren't very effective at that is because there are a limited number of them overall so you get familiar with all of them fast. They also appear on the map so you are aware of them in advance, and once you get flying, the concept of a random enemy appearing in your way and attacking you disappears because you would just fly right over it.

[Vahlnir]

Majority of players including me don't care about fates, hunts and maps because they do not contribute to character power.

You must be part of a minority then, seeing as an actual majority cares about these things. Still, there is obviously more that SE could do to spice up the open world. I won't argue that at all.

[StormyFae]

You must be part of a minority then, seeing as an actual majority cares about these things.

I tell you why i don't care about fates

-- their rewards are trash for one... -- for two they are mostly jokes and puns with very few story worth.. even with the seals wow you get a minion are a card wow it so worth doing.. NOT (they just feel flat out stupid outside the ones that you have to wait for a set time on a set day for)

as for maps your limited on how many u can do honestly .. Most people only get it and do it one time a week then done..

as for hunts, ive looked over they okay but it has the same proplems as maps.. limited vs worth compared to what instance content does, the open world content feels worthless and like they put now effort into it

[Vahlnir]

I tell you why i don't care about fates

-- their rewards are trash for one... -- for two they are mostly jokes and puns with very few story worth.. even with the seals wow you get a minion are a card wow it so worth doing.. NOT (they just feel flat out stupid outside the ones that you have to wait for a set time on a set day for)

as for maps your limited on how many u can do honestly .. Most people only get it and do it one time a week then done..

as for hunts, ive looked over they okay but it has the same proplems as maps.. limited vs worth compared to what instance content does, the open world content feels worthless and like they put now effort into it

Like I said, there's more that could (and should) be done.

[GeminiReed]

I'm a little scared to start blue mage as it makes me worry it to late to get alot of the things due to them being "instanced" locations, ...

BLU is very doable. There are resources available and people (at least on Crystal) are very helpful with the BLU focused party finder parties.

... as for hunts, ive looked over they okay but it has the same proplems as maps.. limited vs worth compared to what instance content does, the open world content feels worthless and like they put now effort into it

If I need to grind tomestones organized ShB hunts are amazing. It's also great for farming augment material for the level 80 tomestone gear (Crystarium). I'll take an afternoon of that over grinding roulettes and all three Nier raids. I do like them, just not enough to do all three every week.

[johnnylogen1337]

FATEs, Hunts, Maps
No matter what other content they add to it, you'll just ignore that too.

fates simply dont have enough draw to them to do them, the exp is awful, the rewards arent interesting.
hunts are currently being done in hunt-trains which isnt what i would consider good usage of the open world.
maps, sure. but those get stale really quickly too. almost all content being added to the game ignores the beautiful zones we get each expansion.

maybe im just missing the good old days, but eureka felt like what an overworld map should be. dangerous enough that makes teaming up and interaction with other players necessary, you know, MMO stuff?

As someone who has played quite a bit of ESO... I kind of agree. The open world in that game is crammed with tombs, interesting hidden objects quests, random loot spots and the skill crystals that reward you for finding some hard to get to nooks and crannies, and probably more I’m forgetting. FFXIV’s open world is beautiful, yes, but in comparison it just feels...empty. In ESO I can spend hours just running across any region, seeing what there is to discover. In FFXIV, I never do that because there’s never anything to discover.

i completely agree, they nailed the elder scrolls feel really well in that game. its too bad we dont have it in ffxiv (yet).

[Catwho]

So one thing that I've found, having leveled everything to 80 and done every damn sidequest available.... those empty zones DO have things in them, they just aren't happening every second of the day. FATE is an "active time event" meaning it spawns under certain conditions, usually a timer, it lasts for a certain length of time, and has an objective. But the NPCs for FATES can often be wandering around before the event. Non interactable NPCs are everywhere, from retainers farming things, to Alpha out in the wilderness. Quests for things even at level 80 often take place in an old zone.

In the real world, life isn't chock full of stuff outside the cities either. You want boring? The drive between Macon and Savannah on I-16 is 200 miles of literally nothing but trees, exits, and occasionally glimpses of swamp off the side of the road.

[Evergrey]

This is a common thing with MMOs that have zones that are level based.
Once the majority of players are done with the zone there's like 0 reason to return again and that leaves dead zones.

One reason I enjoy MMOs like ESO that have everything ingame scale with ones level.
All zones stay relevant regardless of levels and I always see people (more or less ofc) everywhere.
And there's no 1 major hub. People hang out where they like.
And that makes the game world feel so much more alive than MMOs like WoW or FFXIV where it ends up with a lot of dead zones.

[Kragon]

This is a common thing with MMOs that have zones that are level based.
Once the majority of players are done with the zone there's like 0 reason to return again and that leaves dead zones.

One reason I enjoy MMOs like ESO that have everything ingame scale with ones level.
All zones stay relevant regardless of levels and I always see people (more or less ofc) everywhere.
And there's no 1 major hub. People hang out where they like.
And that makes the game world feel so much more alive than MMOs like WoW or FFXIV where it ends up with a lot of dead zones.

Atleast WoW utilizes their latest expansion zones properly with world quests and world bosses that drop artifact power, gear, weapons, etc.

[Evergrey]

Atleast WoW utilizes their latest expansion zones properly with world quests and world bosses that drop artifact power, gear, weapons, etc.

That is true.
But it only stays like that for the duration of said expansion.
But what about the older expansions and those zones?
I always had this sad feeling when going through older zones and how lifeless they feel.
I enjoy MMOs for different reasons.
FFXIV to me is more of an End Game MMO where I can grow stronger doing the latest stuff and collect more powerful gear.
(I ofc enjoy the story. but talking about when that bit is over and one)
Where in ESO I play more for the freedom and the feeling of a living world and the adventure of just running around doing whatever catches my interest without having a real plan.

There are good sides and bad sides in every game, MMO or not.
One just gotta find ways to accept things as they are and do the most out of it.
No game is perfect and those who can enjoy games the most are those that can accept that fact and still find ways to enjoy it.
At least that's how I see it.

I'm happy that ESO doesn't require a sub so I don't feel pressured into keeping playing 2 MMOs at the same time or else I waste sub money.